Live Entertainment Venues

Moscow, Moscow

The Bolshoi Theatre is the most famous and prestigious performing arts venue in Russia — a magnificent 1825 neoclassical building in the heart of Moscow that has been the home of the Bolshoi Ballet (the world's most famous ballet company) and the Bolshoi Opera for nearly 200 years. The Bolshoi's extraordinary historical significance (performances were interrupted by revolution, civil war, and World War II but never permanently halted), its world-class productions, and its remarkable architectural grandeur create a concert hall of singular Russian and world cultural heritage significance.

Teatralnaya Ploshchad 1, Moscow, 109012

Moscow, Moscow

The Bolshoi Theatre is the most revered performing arts showroom in Russia — the home of the Bolshoi Ballet (the world's most famous ballet company, having produced Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov among others) and the Bolshoi Opera, presenting performances that define the highest achievements of Russian classical performing arts in a magnificent 1825 neoclassical building. The Bolshoi's extraordinary 200-year cultural legacy and its remarkable status as the symbol of Russian performing arts excellence create a showroom of singular global performing arts significance.

Teatralnaya Ploshchad 1, Moscow, 109012

Moscow, Moscow

CSKA Arena is the home of HC CSKA Moscow — Russia's most storied ice hockey club, the team of the Red Army that dominated Soviet hockey for decades and produced legendary players including Boris Mikhailov, Vladislav Tretiak, and Valeri Kharlamov. CSKA's extraordinary Soviet hockey dynasty (they won 32 Soviet League championships) and their legendary 1972 and 1974 Summit Series matches against Canada create a sports arena of considerable Russian and world hockey heritage significance.

Leningradsky pr. 39, Moscow, 125167

Moscow, Moscow

The State Kremlin Palace (Kremlin Ballet Theatre) within the Moscow Kremlin's walls is the world's most historically charged performing arts showroom — a modernist glass and concrete building inserted into the 15th-century Moscow Kremlin complex in 1961 by Nikita Khrushchev as a Communist Party congress venue that has since become one of Russia's premier theatrical and ballet venues. The extraordinary privilege of attending a ballet performance within the walls of the Moscow Kremlin creates a showroom experience of singular Russian historical and cultural significance.

Kremlin, Moscow, 103073

Moscow, Moscow

Lenkom Theatre under the legendary direction of Mark Zakharov (1973-2019) was Moscow's most beloved and creatively vital dramatic theatre — a Tverskaya institution that consistently attracted the finest Russian actors (including Innokenty Smoktunovsky, Nikolai Karachentsov, and Oleg Yankovsky) and produced theatrical productions of remarkable popular appeal combined with genuine artistic quality. Lenkom's extraordinary combination of popular success and artistic ambition during the Soviet era (when it pushed creative boundaries while maintaining censors' approval) create a showroom of considerable Russian theatrical cultural significance.

ul. Malaya Dmitrovka 6, Moscow, 127006

Moscow, Moscow

Luzhniki Olympic Complex is Russia's most important sports venue — an 81,000-capacity Moscow stadium that hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics, the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening match and Final, and has served as the primary stadium for Soviet and Russian national football for 70 years. Luzhniki's extraordinary Olympic and World Cup heritage and its remarkable scale create a sports arena of singular Russian and world sporting significance.

Luzhnetskaya naberezhnaya 24, Moscow, 119048

Moscow, Moscow

The Luzhniki Olympic Complex's Small Arena and Palace of Sports serve Moscow's most important Olympic heritage site — a complete 1956 Olympic complex covering 180 hectares on the Moscow River where multiple specialized sports facilities, training halls, and athletics tracks create Russia's most comprehensive sports infrastructure. The Luzhniki complex's extraordinary Olympic legacy and its continued role as Moscow's premier multi-sport venue create sporting arenas of considerable Russian Olympic heritage significance.

Luzhnetskaya naberezhnaya 24, Moscow, 119048

Moscow, Moscow

Luzhniki Stadium is the most important sports and concert venue in Russia — an 81,000-capacity Moscow stadium that hosted the 1980 Moscow Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final (France 4-2 Croatia), and legendary concerts by Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, and the Rolling Stones. Luzhniki's extraordinary capacity, its remarkable Olympic and World Cup heritage, and its spectacular Moscow River setting create a concert venue of singular Russian sporting and entertainment heritage significance.

Luzhnetskaya naberezhnaya 24, Moscow, 119048

Moscow, Moscow

Maly Theatre (Little Theatre) is Moscow's most venerable dramatic theatre — a 200-year-old institution opposite the Bolshoi Theatre that has been called the "House of Ostrovsky" (Alexander Ostrovsky, the founder of modern Russian drama, had all 47 of his plays premiered here). Maly Theatre's extraordinary role in establishing the canon of Russian dramatic literature and its remarkable continued commitment to classical Russian theatrical tradition create a showroom of considerable Russian cultural heritage significance.

Teatralnaya pl. 1/6, Moscow, 109012

Moscow, Moscow

Moscow Art Theatre (MKHAT, founded by Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko in 1898) is the most historically significant dramatic theatre in the world for its impact on global acting and theatrical methodology — the theatre where Chekhov's Four great plays (The Seagull, Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya, and The Cherry Orchard) were first successfully produced and where Stanislavski developed the acting system that transformed the way theatre is practiced throughout the world. The Moscow Art Theatre's extraordinary influence on global theatrical practice and its remarkable continued significance create a showroom of singular world theatrical heritage significance.

Kamergersky per. 3, Moscow, 125009

Moscow, Moscow

Olimpiyskiy Indoor Stadium was Moscow's most important large-scale indoor concert venue for four decades — an extraordinary 35,000-capacity domed arena built for the 1980 Moscow Olympics basketball and boxing events that went on to host legendary concerts by Michael Jackson, AC/DC, and virtually every major international touring act visiting the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia. Olimpiyskiy's remarkable cultural significance as the primary indoor concert venue for the USSR's Moscow audiences and its extraordinary 1980 Olympics heritage create a concert venue of genuine Russian cultural history significance.

Olimpiysky pr. 16, Moscow, 129090

Moscow, Moscow

Spartak Stadium (Otkrytiye Arena) is the home of FC Spartak Moscow — Russia's most popular and beloved football club, whose extraordinary fan culture (Red-White Army, the most passionate football supporters in Russia) and remarkable history of resisting Communist Party interference during the Soviet era (Spartak was the club of working people, while CSKA was the army club) create one of the most politically charged sporting venues in European football. Spartak's extraordinary popularity across Russia and the arena's 45,000-capacity create sporting events of considerable Russian cultural significance.

ul. Volokolamskoe shosse 69, Moscow, 125080

Moscow, Moscow

Taganka Theatre under Yuri Lyubimov (1964-1984) was the most politically important theatre in Soviet history — a Moscow institution that used theatrical form, movement, and allegory to create works of genuine dissidence within the Soviet system, making it the most attended and culturally significant theatre in the USSR and a gathering place for Soviet intellectuals and artists seeking an authentic voice. Vladimir Vysotsky, Russia's most beloved cultural figure of the 20th century, was Taganka's star performer, creating a theatre of extraordinary Russian cultural significance.

ul. Zemlyanoy Val 76, Moscow, 109004

Moscow, Moscow

VTB Arena (formerly Dynamo Stadium) is Moscow's most beautifully modernized stadium and concert venue — a spectacular 26,000-capacity multi-purpose arena adjacent to the Dynamo metro station that was completely rebuilt as a modern stadium incorporating the preserved 1928 Constructivist exterior of the original Dynamo Stadium, combining Soviet architectural heritage with 21st-century concert venue technology. The arena's remarkable architectural preservation and its excellent concert facilities create a venue of considerable Russian contemporary entertainment significance.

Leningradsky pr. 36, Moscow, 125167

Moscow, Moscow Oblast

Crocus City Hall is Russia's largest and most technically advanced indoor concert arena — a 7,500-capacity Moscow-area venue with state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems that has become Russia's most important destination for major international concert tours, hosting artists from Iron Maiden to Lady Gaga to Elton John. The venue's extraordinary technical specifications and its remarkable track record of hosting the world's biggest touring acts create a concert hall of considerable Russian entertainment industry significance.

Crocus City, 65-66 km MKAD, Moscow Region, 143402

Moscow, Moscow Oblast

VEB Arena is the home of CSKA Moscow football club — one of Russia's most successful and storied football clubs (nine-time Russian Premier League champions) whose extraordinary European success (UEFA Cup winners in 2005, beating Sporting Lisbon and Parma en route, and consistent Champions League participants) has made them Russia's most internationally respected football club. The arena's excellent 30,000-capacity and CSKA's remarkable European achievements create a sports arena of considerable Russian and European football significance.

ul. Khimkinskaya 2, Khimki, Moscow Oblast, 141407

Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Oblast

Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre (NOVAT) is the largest opera house in Russia and one of the largest in the world — a colossal 1945 building constructed during World War II in Siberia (when Russia's greatest artistic institutions were evacuated east to escape the Nazi advance) that has since established itself as one of Russia's finest opera and ballet companies. NOVAT's extraordinary scale (it can accommodate sets larger than those at the Bolshoi), its remarkable Siberian cultural ambition, and its outstanding performing arts quality create a showroom of considerable Russian regional performing arts significance.

Krasny pr. 36, Novosibirsk, 630099

Rostov-on-Don, Rostov Oblast

Rostov Arena is a spectacular 45,000-capacity stadium on the Don River that was built specifically for the 2018 FIFA World Cup — a venue whose extraordinary riverfront setting and its World Cup legacy (including hosting Argentina's dramatic loss to France in the round of 16) make it one of the most beautiful football stadiums in Russia. Rostov-on-Don's remarkable position as the gateway city to the Caucasus and its extraordinary Don Cossack cultural heritage create a sports arena of considerable Russian regional significance.

ul. Bereregovaya 1, Rostov-on-Don, 344002

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

Alexandrinsky Theatre is Russia's oldest and most prestigious dramatic theatre — a magnificent 1832 neoclassical building by Carlo Rossi on the magnificent Ostrovsky Square where Chekhov's The Seagull received its disastrous world premiere in 1896 (booed off the stage) before becoming recognized as one of the greatest plays ever written. The Alexandrinsky's extraordinary 200-year dramatic tradition, its remarkable Rossi architectural perfection, and its ongoing world-class theatrical programming create a showroom of genuine Russian theatrical heritage significance.

pl. Ostrovskogo 2, Saint Petersburg, 191011

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

Gazprom Arena (formerly Zenit Arena) is the most technically sophisticated football and concert stadium in Russia — a spectacular 68,000-capacity retractable roof and sliding pitch stadium on Krestovsky Island that hosted 2018 World Cup matches including a semi-final, and serves as home to Zenit Saint Petersburg (Russia's most successful contemporary football club and multiple Russian Premier League champions). The arena's extraordinary architectural design and its World Cup heritage create a concert venue of considerable Russian sporting significance.

Futbolnaya Alleya 1, Saint Petersburg, 197110

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

Gazprom Arena is Russia's most technologically advanced football stadium — a 68,000-capacity retractable roof stadium on Krestovsky Island that cost $1.1 billion (making it one of the most expensive stadiums ever built) and represents Russia's most ambitious sports infrastructure achievement of the 21st century. The arena's remarkable engineering achievement (the pitch slides in and out of the stadium on rails) and its World Cup legacy create a sports venue of considerable Russian sporting infrastructure significance.

Futbolnaya Alleya 1, Saint Petersburg, 197110

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

The Hermitage Theatre within the Winter Palace complex is the most historically exclusive performing arts showroom in Russia — an intimate 1787 neoclassical theatre designed by Giacomo Quarenghi for Catherine the Great that served as the private theatre of the Russian Imperial family, and where the greatest performing artists of the 18th and 19th centuries performed for the Tsars of Russia. The theatre's extraordinary Imperial heritage and its continued programming of chamber opera, ballet, and classical music performances create a showroom of singular Russian Imperial cultural significance.

Dvortsovaya nab. 34, Saint Petersburg, 190000

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

The Mariinsky Theatre under Valery Gergiev is one of the supreme performing arts showrooms in the world — the theatre where Tchaikovsky's greatest ballets received their world premieres, where Shostakovich's opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was premiered before Stalin notoriously attended and condemned it, and where the finest Russian operatic and balletic tradition is preserved and transmitted. The Mariinsky's extraordinary tradition of world premieres and its remarkable role in shaping the global history of classical music and ballet create a showroom of singular world performing arts significance.

Teatralnaya pl. 1, Saint Petersburg, 190000

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

The Mariinsky Theatre is the greatest opera and ballet theatre in Russia and one of the supreme performing arts institutions in the world — a 1860 Saint Petersburg theatre where Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker received their world premieres, and where Chaliapin, Pavlova, Nijinsky, and Nureyev were formed into artists of world historic importance. The Mariinsky's extraordinary role in creating the Russian classical music and ballet tradition that dominated world culture in the 20th century creates a concert venue of singular world performing arts significance.

Teatralnaya pl. 1, Saint Petersburg, 190000

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

Oktyabrsky Concert Hall is Saint Petersburg's largest concert hall and most important popular music venue — a 3,800-capacity venue built in 1967 that has hosted virtually every major Russian pop and classical music artist in the post-Soviet era, from Soviet-era favorites to contemporary Russian artists. The hall's remarkable scale and its extraordinary history as the site of Saint Petersburg's most important popular music concerts create a venue of considerable Russian entertainment significance.

Ligovsky pr. 6, Saint Petersburg, 191040

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

Petrovsky Stadium was the original home of Zenit Saint Petersburg — the historic club whose faithful (the "Blue-White-Sky Blue" supporters) created some of the most passionate football atmospheres in Soviet and Russian football at this compact 21,000-capacity stadium beside the Neva River. Zenit's extraordinary rise from Soviet-era mid-table obscurity to Russian Premier League dynasty (backed by Gazprom and winning multiple championship titles) and Petrovsky's atmospheric old-world setting create a sports arena of considerable Russian football heritage significance.

Petrovsky Island, Saint Petersburg, 197110

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

The Saint Petersburg Philharmonic's Bolshoy Zal (Grand Hall) is one of the world's great concert halls and the most historically significant in Russia — a 1,500-seat hall in the magnificent Mikhailovsky Palace complex where the Leningrad Philharmonic performed Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony (the Leningrad Symphony) by candlelight during the Nazi siege of Leningrad, in one of the most extraordinary acts of cultural defiance in history. The Philharmonic's remarkable Cold War musical diplomacy and its extraordinary acoustic quality create a concert hall of singular world classical music heritage significance.

Mikhailovskaya ul. 2, Saint Petersburg, 191186

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

SKA Saint Petersburg is the KHL's most glamorous ice hockey club — a Russian Continental Hockey League franchise with the largest budget in the league, backed by the power of Gazprom, that has won multiple Gagarin Cup championships and regularly attracts the world's best Russian NHL players (including Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk) to return and play in Russia's most beautiful city. SKA Arena's extraordinary atmosphere and the city's passionate hockey culture create sporting events of considerable Russian ice hockey significance.

Yuriya Gagarina pr. 1, Saint Petersburg, 196143

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg's sports and concert arenas serve the second largest city in Russia — a city whose extraordinary cultural ambitions and 5.4 million population create demand for major international concert experiences. Saint Petersburg's remarkable cultural prestige (it was the first Russian city to develop a significant international tourism industry after the Soviet era, drawn by the incomparable Hermitage Museum and White Nights festival) and its outstanding concert infrastructure create venues of considerable Russian entertainment significance.

Yuriya Gagarina pr. 8, Saint Petersburg, 196143

Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast

Ekaterinburg Arena became globally famous during the 2018 FIFA World Cup for its extraordinary temporary stands that extended beyond the stadium roof — a surreal architectural solution to accommodate the required World Cup capacity in a historic stadium that became one of the most photographed stadiums in World Cup history. Yekaterinburg's extraordinary significance as the city where Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov family were executed in 1918 and as the city on the geographical boundary between Europe and Asia create a sports arena of remarkable Russian historical significance.

ul. Repina 5, Yekaterinburg, 620000